Speake has recorded eighteen albums as leader, including Change Of Heart (2006) with Paul Motian, Bobo Stenson and Mick Hutton.

He joined sax outfit Itchy Fingers and toured Europe, South America, Africa and the USA.

In 2018, Speake appeared at the London Jazz Festival at Cadogan Hall with Charukesi, his new project formed to reflect his interest in rhythmic music from around the world, drawing from Arabic, Indian and Turkish influences.

[4] Speake performed a 2018 concert at PizzaExpress Jazz Club, London, which was subsequently broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

[8] Speake later took sick leave, and the college distanced itself from the views expressed by him in the email,[9] which was said to undermine the African-American roots of jazz.